Speaker files for re-election

House speaker decides to run for re-election

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Speaker of the House Shap Smith, D-Morrisville, gavels the legislative session to a close at the Statehouse in Montpelier in May. Smith has decided to run for re-election.(Photo: GLENN RUSSELL/FREE PRESS FILE)Buy Photo

The dust had yet to settle Thursday evening on the precise field of candidates for House and Senate seats, but leaders for Democrats, Republicans and Progressives all expressed satisfaction with the people who would represent them on the August primary ballot.

The biggest mystery going into the final day for politicians to file petitions for this year's elections had been whether House Speaker Shap Smith would run for re-election. Smith ended the speculation Thursday morning when he turned in his paperwork at the Morristown Town Clerk's Office.

"I wanted to make sure I talked to the people that I needed to," Smith said, "and make sure I had the energy and enthusiasm to do it again. I realized as I thought about it more that I was excited about the challenges we face next year."

Gov. Peter Shumlin breathed a sigh of relief. Speaking at the cellphone ban bill signing ceremony, Shumlin called Smith, a Democrat, one of the most capable House speakers. Shumlin will need a strong ally running the House since the next session will be when decisions will need to be made on the governor's universal health care plan.

Advocates of Shumlin's plan to move the state to a government financed health care system also cheered Smith's decision to seek re-election to the House — and presumably to the top leadership job he has held for the past six years.

"It's one of the most important things that needed to happen in order to make single payer a reality," said Peter Sterling, executive director of the Vermont Campaign for Health Care Security. "Without him, it's just so hard to see how a single-payer financing package could pass the House."

Most of the surprises as to who would retire rather than run for re-election had already come out.

Longtime House Appropriations Chairwoman Martha Heath, D-Westford, announced earlier in the week that she was done after 22 years.

Three Democratic incumbent senators — Bob Hartwell in Bennington, Don Collins in Franklin and Peter Galbraith in Windham — had also called it quits before the filing deadline.

Democrats expected to have a total 29 Senate candidates, 19 of them incumbents. They lack a competitor only in Lamoille County.

All seven current Republican senators are running for re-election, according to Senate Republican Leader Joe Benning. Republicans will also mount strong challenges in Franklin, Washington, Orange and Rutland counties, Benning predicted.

"We are trying to present a more moderate image," Benning said of this year's crop of Republican senate candidates. "We have been trying to rebrand and rebuild the party," he said as a way to regain seats in the Senate and the House where Democrats have held lopsided majorities in recent years. "It is a process."

Progressives expect to have four Senate candidates, three incumbents and a newcomer in Washington County. All four filed to run in the Democratic primary.

House Republican Leader Don Turner of Milton predicted he would have between 77 and 83 Republicans seeking House seats. He noted several Republicans have also chosen to run as independents.

The 45-member Republican House caucus is losing seven incumbents, Bob Bouchard in Colchester, Phil Winters in Williamstown, Bill Johnson in Canaan, Andy Donaghy in Poultney, Tom Koch in Barre, John Mitchell in Fairfax and Duncan Kilmartin in Newport.

"I feel very good about the people who stepped forward to run," Turn said, but noted "some of the best candidates can't run because of work." For example, Turner said Bouchard decided against running for a third term because of the demands of his business.

Turner predicted Republicans would mount strong challenges in St. Albans, Enosburg, St. Johnsbury, Underhill and Bristol/Lincoln and be competitive in contests for open seats in Westford and Manchester.

"We are bringing a good solid slate of candidates to Vermonters," Turner said. "We are going to give Vermonters a choice."

"Hopefully we can go back with more than we had," Turner said, referring to his hope to capture more of the 150 seats in the Vermont House.

House Democratic Leader Willem Jewett said he had 120 candidates for House seats. "We have a few extra in some races," he said, meaning that Democrats would battle each other in the August primary.

The current 96-member House Democratic caucus loses 15 incumbents: Heath of Westford, Paul Ralston of Middlebury, Brian Campion and Ann Mook, both of Bennington, Jeff Wilson of Manchester, Kristina Michelsen of Hardwick, Suzi Wizowaty of Burlington, George Cross of Winooski, Michele Kupersmith of South Burlington, Peter Peltz of Woodbury, John Malcolm of Pawlet, Richard Marek of Newfane, Cynthia Martin of Springfield, Kathy Hoyt of Norwich and Sheila Vowinkle of White River Junction.

Jewett said he felt "very good" about the field of Democratic House candidates and optimistic about maintaining a strong majority.

The Progressive Party has 16 House candidates including all five incumbents. House Progressive Leader Christopher Pearson of Burlington said he expected two incumbents to face serious challenges — Cindy Weed in Enosburg and Susan Davis in Washington.

Pearson predicted Progressives would mount strong races in Winooski, Newport and Pawlet where there are open seats.

The final list of legislative candidates should be available from the Secretary of State next week.